Monday, 23 September 2013

I am so in love with YELENA BRYKSENKOVA's work, the detail, the colour, the pattern and the amazing use of gouache in her teeny tiny paintings. Her work has such a beautiful folk art feel but is so fashiony modern at the same time.
Girl you rock!

Friday, 20 September 2013

Gotta love dear VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, her Spring Summer 2014 fashion show was a political statement about climate change. My best is that her models looked like posh zombies. Viv you will always be my top heroine! Love your work long time.

Thursday, 19 September 2013

HOUSE AND LEISURE magazine' 20th Birthday Collectors Edition is out now.
I have hardly missed an issue in the past 2 decades and the tower of tubs in
our garage is testament to my commitment. The issue unveils their design
and typographic update as well as a bit of history. I love the house that
Helga Dagutat built for herself, her attention to detail and beautiful wild yet considered garden is just perefect. Being at the tail end of our little build I can see how much meticulous planning went into creating her space.

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

When it rains (as it does with gusto here in Summer) the lovely steep pitch of our roof transforms the gutters in our back yard into tumbling waterfalls so we are in the process of installing a tubby little JOJO. This is our clever CLEAN RAIN ADVANCED device from FREE RAIN CONSERVATION, it filters out the roof dirt, leaves and mosquitoes, so that your tank does not fill with muck. It does not make your free water drinkable though but means your system runs more efficiently. They are an online shop and our order was delivered to our door within a week. The installation is not finished yet, the downpipe needs to be attached underneath the device and the rough edges painted nicely. Then the connecting pipe is put in and the tap at the base - I am so excited!!!(Sheesh just saw how rusty our burglar bars are, cringe)

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Started a self portrait as part of a triptych to go with my two found redheads, but I am going to have to do another one because I like this one just how it is. My 'smartie' technique as Grace is calling it. I was soooo itching to paint huge messy strokes on a giant canvas the morning I did this one. It is so funny with oil painting I am finding immense freedom, this week I am doing a second CHINESE PAINTING course with AN YI and yet again I am struggling to be free with it, I get so agitated it is comical. Which is completely the opposite of how you need to be with CHINESE PAINTING. Below is the second phase of the second redhead, ignore her giant nostril if you can.

Monday, 16 September 2013

Because we have been a house of germs and therefore house bound for the last 3 weekends, we each had a sick weekend, you know sharing is caring. Bought Swan a toy to while away the time, we are all suckers for gizmos and gadget. Here is a little video of Swan demonstrating the mesmerising FYRFLYZ.

Friday, 13 September 2013

MONIQUE, you are the winner woot woot of my TUESDAY GIVEAWAY.
Thank you so much to all my Lovelies for the wonderful response and for spreading the love, you guys rock!Drop me a mail kim@thepaintedblackbird.comwith your deets Moniqueso I can deliver your print.

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Scott and I have been laughing about the MESSY STUDIO being the fanciest part of our house now and not a place to be messy after all. So I researched famous artists spaces to see how the creative experience is curtailed or indulged, the frenzy of making, the quiet of channeling the spirit of paint. I love FRANCIS BACON'S studio, an artwork in itself and his dark genius unleashed.p.s Don't forget to comment on my TUESDAY GIVEAWAY Lovelies, I will be doing the draw on Friday.

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

It's time for a GIVEAWAY, Yay! I love plaits, braids, buns and bunches, known in our house as mouse ears. I have done this watercolour series of contemporary peasant girls with their pets. To win one A3 archival signed print of your choice from this PEASANT LOVE series, comment on this post, tell me which is your fave, like my FB(friends) and link to your FB, wanting to spread the love. They look great own their own as an A2 & work well as a series in A3.A2 Archival print on Innova, unframed, R900A3 Archival print on Innova, unframed, R600

Monday, 9 September 2013

Morning Lovelies! I have been working on a new series of illustrations and am going to be doing a GIVEAWAY tomorrow, finally after ages and ages.
So make sure you check out PB and leave a comment and invite some new followers(optional). (Friends, you can also comment on my FB).

Friday, 6 September 2013

Thursday, 5 September 2013

The end of the MESSY STUDIO reno seems so near and so far at the moment, so I have been soothing myself with images of other peoples creative spaces. Came across the work and home of DON CARNEY, have loved his drawings before but now have his name, he was a difficult artist to trace. I love his hand inked artworks, framed in vintage finds and his wonderful, expensive plates.

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

I needed a long thin robust table for the MESSY STUDIO and found just that in this old massage table, one of a pair at DURBAN USED FURNITURE. They stripped the old vinyl top layer off and Nev of IKHAYA is making a new top of laminated pine and white formica.

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

I spend many hours trawling the interweb for reference - for moodboards, for poses, detail and colour palettes. I tend to gravitate towards similar imagery but did not realise quite how small my visual circumference was until I came uponBILLY UND HELLS work yesterday and realised that my inspiration folder is full to the brim of their work. Anke Linz and Andreas Oettinger have discovered a technique (through sheer accident) that reduces colours during the printing process, making them more intense. I could cry these are so beautiful, there are so many I like but have tried to whittle them down to a blog friendly few.You may even recognise the reference I used for my first oil painting.